The European Commission got furious at Poland again. We can only guess that it will sue us to the Tribunal and threaten us with sanctions. This time the issue concerns retirements. The government of the united rightist party, fulfilling electoral promises, is reducing the retirement age. What is more, what is obstinate for the EU clerks, maintains traditional variety of the retirement age of women (60 years old) and men (65 years old). This is sex discrimination! Prohibited in treaties! Brussels commissionaries are shaking from fear. The POlish governmnet and the Solidarity movement are answering calmly that in treaties it is clearly written that politics in the sphere of social insurance is the responsibility of EU countries, not the Union itself (art. 153, paragraph 4TFEU). And continuing those proceedings is a privilege, not discrimination. Retirement variety is still maintained in nine EU countries, including Austria, where, similarly as in Poland, women can get retired at the age of 60, and men at the age of 65. So, why don’t they pick on them but on us? Explanation is quite simple. Austria, similarly as other countries, announced that it would get adjusted to directives of the Commission, but smoothly not abruptly.

The border censorhip is the year 2033. And it makes the Commission calm. They are not rebelling. They only need more time. They accepted with approval. The initiative began over five years ago when in February 2012 the European Commission published the White Book about EU retirements. What is important, in this document, not binding legally in membership countries, the Commission only recommended that the EU countries should raise the retirement age and make it equal for women and men. Soon, the fervent prime minister Donald Tusk raised the retirement age for women in Poland to 65, and men to 67. Although he did not make it equal completely, he clearly suggested that we were going in this direction. An EU brave man! Isn’t he? And how could the chancellor Angela Merkel not love him? But the election took place, resulting in headache. What will come up in Warsaw, in Brussels they want to equalize. Although treaties write about autonomy in equalized areas, we are not permitted to reform judiciary system or pluralize media, or even fight with a woodworm-like publishing houses which are destroying Białowieska forest, not mentioning vacuum cleaners with motor over 900 Watt. There is a question whether they will allow us sneeze in Warsaw, Lublin or Karwia freely and without any sanction.

But, in Poland, there are still men who greet women with a respectful kiss on their hands, and there are countries where it has been treated as sexual abuse for ages. Possibly, the heroic European Commission will also deal with it, or will it want to ‘equalize up this kiss’ like retirements?